1.7 Application Program Interface (API) and Libraries

Suggested Skills: 4.A

LO 1.7.A — Identify the attributes and behaviors of a class found in the libraries contained in an API.

• 1.7.A.1 — Libraries are collections of classes. An application programming interface (API) specification informs the programmer how to use those classes. Documentation found in API specifications and libraries is essential to understanding the attributes and behaviors of a class defined by the API. A class defines a specific reference type. Classes in the APIs and libraries are grouped into packages. Existing classes and class libraries can be utilized to create objects.

• 1.7.A.2 — Attributes refer to the data related to the class and are stored in variables. Behaviors refer to what instances of the class can do (or what can be done with them) and are defined by methods.